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Eddie Alvarez
American Knuckle Star | image = | imagesize = 200px | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = | birth_place = Kensington, Philadelphia | death_date = | death_place = | death_cause = | residence = | nationality = American | height = | weight = | weightclass = | reach = | style = Boxing, Wrestling | stance = Orthodox | fightingoutof= Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | team = Fight Factory | rank = | yearsactive = | mmawins = 19 | mmakowins = 11 | mmasubwins = 5 | mmadecwins = | mmalosses = 2 | mmakolosses = | mmasublosses = | mmadeclosses = | mmadraws = | mmancs = | url = | sherdog = | footnotes = | updated = }} Eddie Alvarez is an American mixed martial arts fighter, and current Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight champion. Sherdog.com ranks Alvarez as the #3 lightweight in the world. Alvarez also competes for the Japanese DREAM promotion, and used to fight for ProElite's EliteXC promotion. Biography Of Puerto Rican and Spanish descent,MMA Weekly - EDDIE ALVAREZ GEARING UP FOR ESPN-BELLATOR Alvarez was born and raised in Kensington, Philadelphia, a rough neighborhood with a reputation for violent crime and an abundance of street narcotics. Known in MMA for his boxing prowess, Alvarez was a wrestler at Northeast Catholic High School. After high school, Alvarez immediately pursued a professional career in MMA with his first fight coming after only eight months of formal training. Alvarez utilized the financial success to move his family out of Kensington and into Northeast Philadelphia following the birth of his first son, Eddie Jr. Mixed martial arts career Alvarez won the MFC welterweight title in his seventh pro fight in June 2006 when he KO'd Derrick Noble just 1:01 into round 1. The MFC welterweight title would later be re-branded the BodogFIGHT welterweight title. In spite of the fact that many insiders didn't view 170 pounds to be Alvarez's best competitive fighting weight, he continued to fight larger opponents because he relished the challenge of testing his mettle against bigger fighters. At Bodog Fight's "Clash of the Nations" pay per view in Russia on April 14, 2007, Alvarez's size disadvantage would be exposed, as he suffered his first career loss when he was TKO'd against UFC veteran Nick Thompson at 4:32 into round 2. After deciding to leave Bodog, Alvarez quickly found a new home in EliteXC where he competed in their 160 pound division against Ross Ebanez, winning by TKO. A few weeks prior to the first event, it was announced that the upstart Japanese promotion DREAM, started by the minds behind PRIDE FC and K-1 had signed Alvarez to compete in their 154 pound grand prix. His initial fight was against Andre Amade, another potent striker, hailing from the notorious Chute Boxe Academy. During the fight, Alvarez was dropped by a strong right hand, but was able to recover and use his superior wrestling skills to score a TKO due to strikes from mount late in the first round. Alvarez advanced to the second round of the tournament where he defeated top ranked lightweight fighter Joachim Hansen on May 11, 2008 by unanimous decision in an exciting fight. Hansen, who was known for his ability to take a punch, was dropped twice in the fight and dazed numerous other times by Alvarez's strikes. In his fight at DREAM.5, Alvarez knocked out top ranked lightweight fighter Tatsuya Kawajiri in the tournament's semi-finals. The fight was awarded Fight of the Year by Sherdog for 2008. However, he was unable to advance in the tournament due to a cut and severe swelling under his right eye. Alvarez's replacement was none other than the man he defeated two months earlier, Joachim Hansen. Hansen went on to win the tournament and capture the DREAM lightweight title. Alvarez was scheduled to face UFC and PRIDE veteran Nick Diaz for the EliteXC 160 pound title on November 8, 2008. but that fight was scrapped when EliteXC's parent ProElite closed its doors and filed for bankruptcy. On New Year's Eve 2008 Alvarez fought against Shinya Aoki at K-1 Dynamite!! 2008 , losing by submission in the first round. He has since been signed to an exclusive contract with Bellator Fighting Championships. Alvarez most recently defeated Katsunori Kikuno at Dream 12 via second round submission (arm triangle choke). Bellator Fighting Championships Alvarez entered Bellator's lightweight tournament at Bellator's inaugural event on April 3, 2009. He fought against Greg Loughran, who landed a left hook which caused Alvarez to buckle his legs. Alvarez survived, however, and submitted Loughran with a guillotine choke. His next fight at the tournament's semi-finals took place four weeks later at Bellator V, against Eric Reynolds. After controlling the bout for two rounds, Alvarez used a rear naked choke to submit Reynolds in the third. Alvarez advanced to the lightweight tournament's finals, which took place at Bellator XII on June 19, 2009. He fought and defeated Toby Imada, via a rear naked choke submission early in the second round, to become Bellator's first ever lightweight champion. Alvarez is set to face Josh Neer in a non-title fight in may http://mmafrenzy.com/13226/bellator-champ-eddie-alvarez-vs-josh-neer-super-fight-set-for-may/ Fight history *Current Bellator Lightweight Champion and Bellator's season one lightweight tournament winner. *Former BodogFIGHT welterweight champion. The title was originally known as the Mixed Fighting Championship welterweight title. *Two time National Prep All-American as Northeast Catholic High School wrestler. *Extensive street fighting background. Claims to be undefeated in unsanctioned fights. *Was a part of the Sherdog Fight of the Year in 2008 with Tatsuya Kawajiri http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Sherdogs-Fight-of-the-Year-15709 Mixed martial arts record References External links *Official Website of Eddie Alvarez *Bellator Fighter Bio *Eddie Alvarez MMA record from Sherdog *Full Contact Fighter Database *Eddie Alvarez Interview with ABC 6 Philadelphia Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:American mixed martial artists Category:American people of Spanish descent Category:American people of Puerto Rican descent Category:Welterweight mixed martial artists ja:エディ・アルバレス